Chasing The Sunset
by TheWillowTree1
Summary: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched-they must be felt with the heart." A collection of moments in Korra and Asami's life, both before and after they are together.
1. Crescendo

Greetings, readers! This first chapter was written with the Legend of Korra Finale song in mind. Each section corresponds to a specific part of the song, but the chapter in its entirety is a nice backdrop to read to. But if we wanna get technical...

Piece 1: 0:00-0:47

Piece 2: 0:47-1:16

Piece 3 and 4: 1:16-1:41

Piece 5: 1:41-2:05

Piece 6: 2:05-2:16

Piece 7: 2:16-3:04

Feel free to read it any way you like, but I encourage you to envision the scenes with the specific music in mind. :)

Chapter 1: Crescendo

Korra was...confused. Perplexed. A bit bewildered, she had to say. Here she had thought...and here she had hoped, and here she had wished, and no….here she was. Sitting at a table, deep in the mansion of Asami Sato, her expectations turned entirely upside down.

Her fingers tightened, ever so slightly, on the wooden chopsticks in her hand. They were roughly cut, cheaply produced and manufactured, Cabbage Corps. A flint of wood snagged on the left one, either from natural error or from Korra's unconsciously tight grip. They certainly weren't made of porcelain or glass, as she had thought. The noodles (steaming hot, seaweed-spiced, and arguably her favorite plate from Narook's Noodles, on account of their Water Tribe heritage-) felt a lot like her insides today.

Korra had arrived at this mansion, 10 AM sharp, with a temper and gaze just as keen. She had expected a living space of grandiose proportions, of ornate paintings and gilded stairs. It had been silly. No _doubt_ she had stepped into luxury, but it was a luxury of function and purpose. The chair she sat on was of beautifully crafted mahogany, but strong and sturdy all the same; the table of cherrywood, deeply varnished and polished to a sheen; the floor a rosewood so shiny Korra caught herself staring at her reflection. The dining room was much different than the rest of the house (mansion, Korra corrected), in both color scheme and use. It was brown, while the entire estate gleamed chrome (though the space did have red accents here and there). But where the mansion boasted luxury at its finest, the dining area offered bare comforts. A place to sit down and enjoy the joys of food over light conversation and good company. More coziness than coldness, more simplicity than elaborate decorum.

Asami had given her a tour. Through the maze of bedrooms and gyms and powder rooms, Korra had expected to end up somewhere she would not enjoy, either from own smugness or true dislike, she did not know. Then she'd stepped outside onto a racetrack.

A _racetrack_.

Korra had never gone _racing_. At least, nowhere other than the back of a polar bear dog.

And Asami had given her one, in a Satomobile, an exhilarating ride in 60 seconds of heart-thumping throttle.

Korra had had fun. She frowned. Too much fun?

She looked up, to Asami sitting across. One hand delicate against her chin, another on her forearm, both resting on the table. The pose could've said boredom and inattention, but Asami's eyes gleamed at the tet-a-tete flitting between the two brothers.

"You'd spend it on a vacation?" Mako's brow curled in confusion.

"10,000 yuans, I think we deserve a rest!" Pabu squeaked in support. Bolin nodded emphatically. "It takes effort to be a mascot, you know."

Asami's eyes sparkled. They turned toward hers.

Korra blinked, slightly startled. Then she smiled. Asami smiled back.

There might be something good here, Korra thought.

"Korra?"

The voice floated to her on a chilly breeze, but it wasn't the weather that made her cold. Her bones froze to the core with the remnants of angry words. They warmed, only slightly, with the hand on her shoulder.

Asami sat down, wrapped in a lilac robe and ringed eyes. Not much sleep there, either.

Korra sighed, heavy with exhaustion. Not many angry words traveled between her and her father-ever, even-, but the argument was a fresh sting to already open wounds. She winced, feeling her hands pull the robe closer around her body.

"You okay?"

She turned bleary eyes on imploring ones. "I don't know."

Asami tsked, drawing herself closer. She smelled of perfume. Jasmine. No, lily. Korra didn't know, anyways.

 _Wait, no one wears perfume at night._

"What's on your mind then?"

Korra shrugged. Asami gave her a pointed look. Korra returned her a guilty smirk.

"Lots of things," she said, intent on the rippling, sucking water. "The spirit attack. Leaving Tenzin. Dad." Her lip curled, wry more than bitter. "Mako."

"We both have that in common."

"What, problems?"

"Boy and father ones."

"O-oh. Mako's just, y'know...Mako," Korra said, because she didn't really know what else to say.

That drew a laugh from Asami though. "Don't we both know it?" And out came a laugh from Korra too.

She sighed, leaning forward to elbows on the balcony. Asami waited patiently on this moonlit night, staring out at frost-tinged roads and glacial seas.

Indecision tore through the Avatar. "I don't know if I made the right choice, Asami. I've both known them for all my life, and of course I'm closer with Tenzin. But Unalaq's my _uncle_. If I'm going to become a spiritual leader, he's the one to teach me. I know I haven't seen him in years, but he's my family. Surely that counts for something too?" She looked up, seeking solace in the moon. It stared back cold comfort.

Korra was looking in the wrong place though. Asami tilted her head, dark hair swaying in waves. They were uncanny to the actual ones beneath them. "I used to think that family meant blood, especially after Mom died. I had only lived with the two of them when I was young. My relatives all lived in the Fire Nation-" Korra threw her a look that Asami answered in a split-second gaze ('Tell you later'), and Korra relaxed in an instant- "so my father was the only family I had."

Six months ago, this conversation would not have been possible. Korra marveled at the fact, as well as her friend.

"For years, it was just me and my father and that was fine. He would come home from work and it's not like we wouldn't spend time together, but I definitely missed my mom." Again, the bitterness had long drained away, because it had drained Asami too; all that was left was remembrance, because that was all Asami could muster. "All that changed when I met you."

Korra threw her the most puzzled look and Asami crinkled her beautiful eyes. "Yes, Korra, you changed my life, get over it," she rolled her eyes, seriousness and sarcasm as brothers. "Seriously, though. Meeting you and Mako and Bolin was one of the best things that happened to me. I'll never regret running Mako over with my Satobike." And there, the earnest deception blew away to reveal a radiant smile. "You guys are my family now."

That made Korra beam. "You guys are my family too." She continued to stare, out over the moon-washed ocean. The smile faded.

Asami's still stayed. "But that doesn't answer your question, does it?"

Korra bit her lip.

Asami pursed hers and laid a hand on her forearm. "You need to trust yourself, Korra. Being the Avatar isn't easy and it requires lots of decision-making. Decisions that you won't know the outcome of. If you felt it was the right choice, then it was the right choice." Her voice brightened. "Besides, the future can't be accounted for. Best to make do with what we have."

Korra stared at her, eyes wide, but crinkled in a soft grin. "How do you know all that?"

Asami shrugged, innocently. "Being the CEO has its perks."

Certainly, it did, Korra agreed, as she shook a slow, knowing, smirking roll of her head. Certainly it did.

The volcano appeared, at first a dot that jutted out from the sprawl that was the Earth Kingdom, then as a towering hill as the airship descended through the clouds. Korra was practically bursting by the time Asami killed the engine, hopping on her feet: "Asami, come on, the market closes in a few hours!" She bounced, eager like a pup.

Asami, herself, could use that much rest. She'd been flying for well over many hours now; not that she minded, but a break would be much welcome.

Just not one that included a bed, she sighed, half-wry, half-earnest, as Korra led her through her own airship, a grin on her face.

"What...is that?" It was a few hours later and Korra was poking at fruit.

"Less profit for the market stall because you're prodding at it," Asami said, examining the red object, not unaware of the owner's eyes.

Korra was not not-unaware, so she continued to poke. The fruit caved in at her touch, puckered, then plopped back out. Korra's eyes bulged. "It's so...squishy. It's not as red as a tomato, but also not hard like an apple." She straightened, ignoring the glaring owner, and turned to Asami. "Do you think it's rotten?"

"I think," Asami said, pulling out a coin from her pocket and dropping it into the woman's hand, "it's the texture." She strode away, pulling Korra with her, their leave accompanied by a huff that bordered on relief and indignance.

"Oh. Must've been a bad farming season then." Korra's eyes went wide and she zipped across the dirt street. "No way! Asami, check this out!"

Asami, either out of friendship or humor, of course, did. She crossed her arms, perusing the assortment of knickknacks that the shopkeeper had displayed.

"Is that...a wooden lollipop?" She peered at Korra's hands; the object was brown, carved roughly, but not lovingly.

She scrunched her face. "A lolli...no, Asami, this is a hand drum!" Korra whirled it in front of her, the double clackers colliding in the center. "I haven't seen one of these since I was, like, four. Katara gave it to me, a few days after I realized I was the Avatar." Asami's eyes crossed, zipping between the two balls, and Korra thought she'd never looked more adorable.

Her hand dug into her trousers and out shined four Earth Kingdom coins. Asami handed them to the shop-owner before Korra could say anything, and walked away, a smirk curved on her lips.

The Avatar gaped after her before a grin split her own face. She bounced after Asami, twisting the drum happily in her hands.

Asami had opened her door to claims of 'special, best friend access' and Korra had entered with nary a sheepish grin. She settled into the co-pilot's chair, Turi given a rest from her hours of solo flying. Her fur boots (despite the fact, Asami insisted, that it was one month into spring) were propped up on the control board, as if she owned Asami's airship.

Clearly, she was comfortable, Asami smirked.

"Hey, what's that?" There was a gaping hole to their right, 45 degrees off their path, take them about 9 miles per min-Asami shook herself. She looked at the world map plastered on the cockpit wall. "Hungzhou Crater. 300 B.G. One of the biggest in the Earth Kingdom." She remembered reading about it on a twilit evening, surrounded by her other birthday gifts of a telescope, a beautiful velvet robe, and a sapphire bracelet.

She felt the pause, then the smirk. "Nice to see my book put to good use."

Asami shrugged light shoulders. "A Geography of The World has proved useful in developing Future Industries' tech." She grinned, swiveling to the Avatar. "I'll credit you in our upcoming technology."

Korra huffed indignation. "I don't see you wearing my sapphire bracelet."

Asami feigned umbrage. She indicated her black-and-red pilot outfit. "Does this look like it goes along with the color blue?"

"I think anything goes with the color blue," came the affront.

They were about 50 miles from Ba Sing Se, near Makapu Village. 2 hours at the most until the landing dock, Asami surmised. Airship technology hadn't been on her mind lately with the reconstruction going on, but future behold it or not, these ships would soon be traveling to the Earth Kingdom in under a day.

"Tell me about the crater," popped up Korra, leaning keenly over the board, hands carefully placed on the blank spaces.

 _Luxury seating_ and _entertainment?_ Such for 'best friend access.'

"Well," Asami hummed, blinking to the memory. "It was created when a meteor slammed into the ground. I'm pretty sure the diameter of the crater is, say," she knitted her eyes, "half a mile? I remember this one so well because meteors rarely happen in the Earth Kingdom. Hungzhou was a deserter one from the Lyra Showers. Don't know how it came all the way from the Northern and Southern Tribes, but the book wouldn't have been written if nature was so predictable."

"Lyra Showers?"

"Mhmm. Beginning of spring each year. Have you ever seen them?"

A puff exhaled as Korra plopped back into the chair. "Nope. But you can take me."

"Korra?"

The voice floated to her through broken air, vanishing against the wooden door. Asami hesitated, her hand against the opening pane. Silence bade her entry and she slid the door, stepping inside with a gentle click.

"Hey. Thought I'd bring you some food." She looked out the window, onto raindrops and wind, then back to Korra. "Can't beat chicken dumplings on a cold day, right?"

Korra didn't move as Asami approached her in her wheelchair. Her hair tumbled down, hands in her lap, upright but not anywhere near right, a very, very tired face looking out the window. Rain pounded a rhythm. Asami set the tray down onto the table, next to Korra's hand. It twitched, imperceptibly. Asami saw unseeing eyes. They blinked suddenly when she touched her hand.

"You hungry?"

Her hair bobbed as Korra shook her head. Asami swiveled to the pouring rain. Dreary, but not loud like a hailstorm. A lonely, quiet thing; out of your way, but direct enough to toy with you if circumstance dictated so.

"I never liked the rain much," Asami chuckled, firm enough to fake sincerity. "Gets in the way of my workers' morale or production tests sometime. Trying a new engine without temperate weather, although we do expect our Satomobiles to work in rain, can be dangerous in the prototype days." She actually appreciated the rain. Good background to draw blueprints in.

Korra nodded, offering a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thought you liked working with it though."

 _Oh._ "Depends."

Silence ensued. The rain pattered. Asami took her hand. "Korra, you know you're my best friend, right?"

Korra knew and nodded to say so.

Her hands felt cold. "We are going to get through this. Me and you. Together. Wherever you are, I'm at your side. I'm not leaving anytime, Korra."

Korra turned, and Asami couldn't tell if it was out of surprise (for surely she knew this already) or acknowledgement. Whatever the conflicting case of emotions, Asami squeezed her hand, willing her warmth. "I'm here for you. Always." Asami smiled and Korra gave her one in return, maybe not all the way to her eyes, but enough to know it was real.

They sat, staring out over the violet waters towards Republic City. The portal was golden against the night, beautiful, bright. Asami had never seen her city like this. Half of it decimated, okay, but all of it hopeful.

She smoothed out her dress. Remarkably, it'd come out of Varrick's wedding unstained and spotless (as of yet-Rohan was unpredictable and Meelo to a lesser degree) Good thing too. She sensed it would become one of her favorites.

Korra sighed, content with the world. "I would've never thought a Spirit Portal could light up a metropolis. Always seemed like a barren, wilderness decoration."

 _"Decoration?"_

"Aesthetic, then." Korra swished her hand, throwing away the statement.

Asami chuckled. She sighed and it melted into the breeze. "Thank you."

One eyebrow raised. "For?"

"This." Asami swept her hand towards the glowing city. "Making this. All of this. This city wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. This portal isbeautiful,Korra."

Korra grinned, cupping both hands under her chin. "It really is, huh?" She turned to Asami. Her stomach churned and her heart flipped, but she said it anyway. "You look beautiful, by the way."

A shy blush tinted Asami's gorgeous smile. "You too. I dig the Water Tribe...aesthetics." She winked, the last word chosen with deliberate care.

Korra crinkled a smile, then sighed again. Midnight mountains guarded the golden beam, the buildings below like jagged rock. Yue Bay was the only thing blocking them from beauty.

"So, what now?" she started. "Back to the dance floor?'

"I'm...kind of all danced out." Asami shifted, her hand brushing Korra's, flaring a brief warmth where it touched. "Honestly, after everything that's happened in the past few months, I could use a vacation."

Korra lit up, the Spirit Portal seeming to do the same. "Let's do it! Let's go on a vacation, just the two of us. Anywhere you want."

"Really?" Asami seemed unsure, so Korra nodded, eyes sparkling. "Okay. I've always wanted to see what the Spirit World's like."

Korra grinned. The words eased out of her, as easily as this moment. "Sounds perfect."

They crested the ridge and two breaths shimmered in the air. Korra let go of her pack-straps. Asami stood still, her grip loose on her own.

They were staring at flawed perfection. At a city that had been wrecked three times in the same amount of years. A nation pieced back by slow, broken shards. A shore of four waters, of millions. A metropolis that was Asami's home, more than the Estate had ever been. Her heart lay in it, amongst infinity streets and crystal towers. Silver skyscrapers and stout storefronts, curving bridges, Yue Bay blue. Cherry trees, ashen mountains, viridescent valleys. Republic City pulsed with an invisible light, not seen, but felt. You had to be in it to feel it, and Asami didn't plan on leaving.

Korra saw something different. She saw two worlds, merged as one, connected evermore, by her. The Portal vibrated something alive, an energy that traveled between realms and, Korra knew, into forever. The world was changed and though the future was uncertain, Korra could say, with certainty, with every beat of her heart, that it was, for better or worse, a good change.

Her eyes met Asami's and her heart soared. Asami's rose to the stars.

They had both created this city, separately, at different times. Now they had the chance to create something new, something fresh.

Blue eyes sparkled. _Ready?_

Emerald green twinkled back. _I think I am._

Korra walked forward and Asami followed, the first of many slow, steady steps to creating them.

Chapter 1: Crescendo

Korra was...confused. Perplexed. A bit bewildered, she had to say. Here she had thought...and here she had hoped, and here she had wished, and no….here she was. Sitting at a table, deep in the mansion of Asami Sato, her expectations turned entirely upside down.

Her fingers tightened, ever so slightly, on the wooden chopsticks in her hand. They were roughly cut, cheaply produced and manufactured, Cabbage Corps. A flint of wood snagged on the left one, either from natural error or from Korra's unconsciously tight grip. They certainly weren't made of porcelain or glass, as she had thought. The noodles (steaming hot, seaweed-spiced, and arguably her favorite plate from Narook's Noodles, on account of their Water Tribe heritage-) felt a lot like her insides today.

Korra had arrived at this mansion, 10 AM sharp, with a temper and gaze just as keen. She had expected a living space of grandiose proportions, of ornate paintings and gilded stairs. It had been silly. No _doubt_ she had stepped into luxury, but it was a luxury of function and purpose. The chair she sat on was of beautifully crafted mahogany, but strong and sturdy all the same; the table of cherrywood, deeply varnished and polished to a sheen; the floor a rosewood so shiny Korra caught herself staring at her reflection. The dining room was much different than the rest of the house (mansion, Korra corrected), in both color scheme and use. It was brown, while the entire estate gleamed chrome (though the space did have red accents here and there). But where the mansion boasted luxury at its finest, the dining area offered bare comforts. A place to sit down and enjoy the joys of food over light conversation and good company. More coziness than coldness, more simplicity than elaborate decorum.

Asami had given her a tour. Through the maze of bedrooms and gyms and powder rooms, Korra had expected to end up somewhere she would not enjoy, either from own smugness or true dislike, she did not know. Then she'd stepped outside onto a racetrack.

A _racetrack_.

Korra had never gone _racing_. At least, nowhere other than the back of a polar bear dog.

And Asami had given her one, in a Satomobile, an exhilarating ride in 60 seconds of heart-thumping throttle.

Korra had had fun. She frowned. Too much fun?

She looked up, to Asami sitting across. One hand delicate against her chin, another on her forearm, both resting on the table. The pose could've said boredom and inattention, but Asami's eyes gleamed at the tet-a-tete flitting between the two brothers.

"You'd spend it on a vacation?" Mako's brow curled in confusion.

"10,000 yuans, I think we deserve a rest!" Pabu squeaked in support. Bolin nodded emphatically. "It takes effort to be a mascot, you know."

Asami's eyes sparkled. They turned toward hers.

Korra blinked, slightly startled. Then she smiled. Asami smiled back.

There might be something good here, Korra thought.

"Korra?"

The voice floated to her on a chilly breeze, but it wasn't the weather that made her cold. Her bones froze to the core with the remnants of angry words. They warmed, only slightly, with the hand on her shoulder.

Asami sat down, wrapped in a lilac robe and ringed eyes. Not much sleep there, either.

Korra sighed, heavy with exhaustion. Not many angry words traveled between her and her father-ever, even-, but the argument was a fresh sting to already open wounds. She winced, feeling her hands pull the robe closer around her body.

"You okay?"

She turned bleary eyes on imploring ones. "I don't know."

Asami tsked, drawing herself closer. She smelled of perfume. Jasmine. No, lily. Korra didn't know, anyways.

 _Wait, no one wears perfume at night._

"What's on your mind then?"

Korra shrugged. Asami gave her a pointed look. Korra returned her a guilty smirk.

"Lots of things," she said, intent on the rippling, sucking water. "The spirit attack. Leaving Tenzin. Dad." Her lip curled, wry more than bitter. "Mako."

"We both have that in common."

"What, problems?"

"Boy and father ones."

"O-oh. Mako's just, y'know...Mako," Korra said, because she didn't really know what else to say.

That drew a laugh from Asami though. "Don't we both know it?" And out came a laugh from Korra too.

She sighed, leaning forward to elbows on the balcony. Asami waited patiently on this moonlit night, staring out at frost-tinged roads and glacial seas.

Indecision tore through the Avatar. "I don't know if I made the right choice, Asami. I've both known them for all my life, and of course I'm closer with Tenzin. But Unalaq's my _uncle_. If I'm going to become a spiritual leader, he's the one to teach me. I know I haven't seen him in years, but he's my family. Surely that counts for something too?" She looked up, seeking solace in the moon. It stared back cold comfort.

Korra was looking in the wrong place though. Asami tilted her head, dark hair swaying in waves. They were uncanny to the actual ones beneath them. "I used to think that family meant blood, especially after Mom died. I had only lived with the two of them when I was young. My relatives all lived in the Fire Nation-" Korra threw her a look that Asami answered in a split-second gaze ('Tell you later'), and Korra relaxed in an instant- "so my father was the only family I had."

Six months ago, this conversation would not have been possible. Korra marveled at the fact, as well as her friend.

"For years, it was just me and my father and that was fine. He would come home from work and it's not like we wouldn't spend time together, but I definitely missed my mom." Again, the bitterness had long drained away, because it had drained Asami too; all that was left was remembrance, because that was all Asami could muster. "All that changed when I met you."

Korra threw her the most puzzled look and Asami crinkled her beautiful eyes. "Yes, Korra, you changed my life, get over it," she rolled her eyes, seriousness and sarcasm as brothers. "Seriously, though. Meeting you and Mako and Bolin was one of the best things that happened to me. I'll never regret running Mako over with my Satobike." And there, the earnest deception blew away to reveal a radiant smile. "You guys are my family now."

That made Korra beam. "You guys are my family too." She continued to stare, out over the moon-washed ocean. The smile faded.

Asami's still stayed. "But that doesn't answer your question, does it?"

Korra bit her lip.

Asami pursed hers and laid a hand on her forearm. "You need to trust yourself, Korra. Being the Avatar isn't easy and it requires lots of decision-making. Decisions that you won't know the outcome of. If you felt it was the right choice, then it was the right choice." Her voice brightened. "Besides, the future can't be accounted for. Best to make do with what we have."

Korra stared at her, eyes wide, but crinkled in a soft grin. "How do you know all that?"

Asami shrugged, innocently. "Being the CEO has its perks."

Certainly, it did, Korra agreed, as she shook a slow, knowing, smirking roll of her head. Certainly it did.

The volcano appeared, at first a dot that jutted out from the sprawl that was the Earth Kingdom, then as a towering hill as the airship descended through the clouds. Korra was practically bursting by the time Asami killed the engine, hopping on her feet: "Asami, come on, the market closes in a few hours!" She bounced, eager like a pup.

Asami, herself, could use that much rest. She'd been flying for well over many hours now; not that she minded, but a break would be much welcome.

Just not one that included a bed, she sighed, half-wry, half-earnest, as Korra led her through her own airship, a grin on her face.

"What...is that?" It was a few hours later and Korra was poking at fruit.

"Less profit for the market stall because you're prodding at it," Asami said, examining the red object, not unaware of the owner's eyes.

Korra was not not-unaware, so she continued to poke. The fruit caved in at her touch, puckered, then plopped back out. Korra's eyes bulged. "It's so...squishy. It's not as red as a tomato, but also not hard like an apple." She straightened, ignoring the glaring owner, and turned to Asami. "Do you think it's rotten?"

"I think," Asami said, pulling out a coin from her pocket and dropping it into the woman's hand, "it's the texture." She strode away, pulling Korra with her, their leave accompanied by a huff that bordered on relief and indignance.

"Oh. Must've been a bad farming season then." Korra's eyes went wide and she zipped across the dirt street. "No way! Asami, check this out!"

Asami, either out of friendship or humor, of course, did. She crossed her arms, perusing the assortment of knickknacks that the shopkeeper had displayed.

"Is that...a wooden lollipop?" She peered at Korra's hands; the object was brown, carved roughly, but not lovingly.

She scrunched her face. "A lolli...no, Asami, this is a hand drum!" Korra whirled it in front of her, the double clackers colliding in the center. "I haven't seen one of these since I was, like, four. Katara gave it to me, a few days after I realized I was the Avatar." Asami's eyes crossed, zipping between the two balls, and Korra thought she'd never looked more adorable.

Her hand dug into her trousers and out shined four Earth Kingdom coins. Asami handed them to the shop-owner before Korra could say anything, and walked away, a smirk curved on her lips.

The Avatar gaped after her before a grin split her own face. She bounced after Asami, twisting the drum happily in her hands.

Asami had opened her door to claims of 'special, best friend access' and Korra had entered with nary a sheepish grin. She settled into the co-pilot's chair, Turi given a rest from her hours of solo flying. Her fur boots (despite the fact, Asami insisted, that it was one month into spring) were propped up on the control board, as if she owned Asami's airship.

Clearly, she was comfortable, Asami smirked.

"Hey, what's that?" There was a gaping hole to their right, 45 degrees off their path, take them about 9 miles per min-Asami shook herself. She looked at the world map plastered on the cockpit wall. "Hungzhou Crater. 300 B.G. One of the biggest in the Earth Kingdom." She remembered reading about it on a twilit evening, surrounded by her other birthday gifts of a telescope, a beautiful velvet robe, and a sapphire bracelet.

She felt the pause, then the smirk. "Nice to see my book put to good use."

Asami shrugged light shoulders. "A Geography of The World has proved useful in developing Future Industries' tech." She grinned, swiveling to the Avatar. "I'll credit you in our upcoming technology."

Korra huffed indignation. "I don't see you wearing my sapphire bracelet."

Asami feigned umbrage. She indicated her black-and-red pilot outfit. "Does this look like it goes along with the color blue?"

"I think anything goes with the color blue," came the affront.

They were about 50 miles from Ba Sing Se, near Makapu Village. 2 hours at the most until the landing dock, Asami surmised. Airship technology hadn't been on her mind lately with the reconstruction going on, but future behold it or not, these ships would soon be traveling to the Earth Kingdom in under a day.

"Tell me about the crater," popped up Korra, leaning keenly over the board, hands carefully placed on the blank spaces.

 _Luxury seating_ and _entertainment?_ Such for 'best friend access.'

"Well," Asami hummed, blinking to the memory. "It was created when a meteor slammed into the ground. I'm pretty sure the diameter of the crater is, say," she knitted her eyes, "half a mile? I remember this one so well because meteors rarely happen in the Earth Kingdom. Hungzhou was a deserter one from the Lyra Showers. Don't know how it came all the way from the Northern and Southern Tribes, but the book wouldn't have been written if nature was so predictable."

"Lyra Showers?"

"Mhmm. Beginning of spring each year. Have you ever seen them?"

A puff exhaled as Korra plopped back into the chair. "Nope. But you can take me."

"Korra?"

The voice floated to her through broken air, vanishing against the wooden door. Asami hesitated, her hand against the opening pane. Silence bade her entry and she slid the door, stepping inside with a gentle click.

"Hey. Thought I'd bring you some food." She looked out the window, onto raindrops and wind, then back to Korra. "Can't beat chicken dumplings on a cold day, right?"

Korra didn't move as Asami approached her in her wheelchair. Her hair tumbled down, hands in her lap, upright but not anywhere near right, a very, very tired face looking out the window. Rain pounded a rhythm. Asami set the tray down onto the table, next to Korra's hand. It twitched, imperceptibly. Asami saw unseeing eyes. They blinked suddenly when she touched her hand.

"You hungry?"

Her hair bobbed as Korra shook her head. Asami swiveled to the pouring rain. Dreary, but not loud like a hailstorm. A lonely, quiet thing; out of your way, but direct enough to toy with you if circumstance dictated so.

"I never liked the rain much," Asami chuckled, firm enough to fake sincerity. "Gets in the way of my workers' morale or production tests sometime. Trying a new engine without temperate weather, although we do expect our Satomobiles to work in rain, can be dangerous in the prototype days." She actually appreciated the rain. Good background to draw blueprints in.

Korra nodded, offering a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thought you liked working with it though."

 _Oh._ "Depends."

Silence ensued. The rain pattered. Asami took her hand. "Korra, you know you're my best friend, right?"

Korra knew and nodded to say so.

Her hands felt cold. "We are going to get through this. Me and you. Together. Wherever you are, I'm at your side. I'm not leaving anytime, Korra."

Korra turned, and Asami couldn't tell if it was out of surprise (for surely she knew this already) or acknowledgement. Whatever the conflicting case of emotions, Asami squeezed her hand, willing her warmth. "I'm here for you. Always." Asami smiled and Korra gave her one in return, maybe not all the way to her eyes, but enough to know it was real.

They sat, staring out over the violet waters towards Republic City. The portal was golden against the night, beautiful, bright. Asami had never seen her city like this. Half of it decimated, okay, but all of it hopeful.

She smoothed out her dress. Remarkably, it'd come out of Varrick's wedding unstained and spotless (as of yet-Rohan was unpredictable and Meelo to a lesser degree) Good thing too. She sensed it would become one of her favorites.

Korra sighed, content with the world. "I would've never thought a Spirit Portal could light up a metropolis. Always seemed like a barren, wilderness decoration."

 _"Decoration?"_

"Aesthetic, then." Korra swished her hand, throwing away the statement.

Asami chuckled. She sighed and it melted into the breeze. "Thank you."

One eyebrow raised. "For?"

"This." Asami swept her hand towards the glowing city. "Making this. All of this. This city wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. This portal isbeautiful,Korra."

Korra grinned, cupping both hands under her chin. "It really is, huh?" She turned to Asami. Her stomach churned and her heart flipped, but she said it anyway. "You look beautiful, by the way."

A shy blush tinted Asami's gorgeous smile. "You too. I dig the Water Tribe...aesthetics." She winked, the last word chosen with deliberate care.

Korra crinkled a smile, then sighed again. Midnight mountains guarded the golden beam, the buildings below like jagged rock. Yue Bay was the only thing blocking them from beauty.

"So, what now?" she started. "Back to the dance floor?'

"I'm...kind of all danced out." Asami shifted, her hand brushing Korra's, flaring a brief warmth where it touched. "Honestly, after everything that's happened in the past few months, I could use a vacation."

Korra lit up, the Spirit Portal seeming to do the same. "Let's do it! Let's go on a vacation, just the two of us. Anywhere you want."

"Really?" Asami seemed unsure, so Korra nodded, eyes sparkling. "Okay. I've always wanted to see what the Spirit World's like."

Korra grinned. The words eased out of her, as easily as this moment. "Sounds perfect."

They crested the ridge and two breaths shimmered in the air. Korra let go of her pack-straps. Asami stood still, her grip loose on her own.

They were staring at flawed perfection. At a city that had been wrecked three times in the same amount of years. A nation pieced back by slow, broken shards. A shore of four waters, of millions. A metropolis that was Asami's home, more than the Estate had ever been. Her heart lay in it, amongst infinity streets and crystal towers. Silver skyscrapers and stout storefronts, curving bridges, Yue Bay blue. Cherry trees, ashen mountains, viridescent valleys. Republic City pulsed with an invisible light, not seen, but felt. You had to be in it to feel it, and Asami didn't plan on leaving.

Korra saw something different. She saw two worlds, merged as one, connected evermore, by her. The Portal vibrated something alive, an energy that traveled between realms and, Korra knew, into forever. The world was changed and though the future was uncertain, Korra could say, with certainty, with every beat of her heart, that it was, for better or worse, a good change.

Her eyes met Asami's and her heart soared. Asami's rose to the stars.

They had both created this city, separately, at different times. Now they had the chance to create something new, something fresh.

Blue eyes sparkled. _Ready?_

Emerald green twinkled back. _I think I am._

Korra walked forward and Asami followed, the first of many slow, steady steps to creating them.


	2. Little Signs

Chapter 2: Little Signs

Greetings! This piece is tailored to Rhian Sheehan's song "Little Sines." A wonderfully uplifting song, I edited the title to Little Signs :)  
Here is the breakdown for the song (play along!). Again, each sectioned-off piece fits the theme of a section of the song.

Piece 1: 0:00-0:25

Piece 2: 0:25-1:03

Piece 3: 1:03-1:34

Piece 4: 1:34-1:52

Piece 5: 1:52-2:38

Piece 6: 2:38-End

* * *

Korra knew she had been missing a lot down in the South. Republic City's reconstruction, Kuvira's rise to power, the political turmoil in the Empress-less Earth Kingdom. Not to mention the affairs of her loved ones-Tenzin, leading the rebirth of the Air Nation; Bolin, finding his heart through goodwill and service; Mako...Korra thought of Wu and shook herself; and last of all, Asami, building her beloved company to the best and brightest of the world. For Korra, the world had spun and it had left its Avatar behind.

But in all those years, Korra had never known what _she_ was missing. Asami made that blatantly, undeniably clear on this fine, sun-lit day.

They were in Xai Bau's Grove, strolling through sun rays. Time had flown as if it did not exist and Korra's heart had flown with it. Her hand grasped Asami's, fingers fit into spaces meant for each other. It wasn't two hours ago that they'd entered the Spirit World and Korra's heart had nearly thudded out of her chest; one hour ago that a leaf spirit had plodded alongside them, eventually snagging a piggyback ride on Korra with the noble intention of tugging at Asami's hair; some time ago that Korra noticed she'd been staring too long at Asami and Asami had brought her out of the trance with a wonderful, warming laugh; three years ago that she'd last seen her dearly missed, dearly beloved friend; and forever that she wished she'd have this.

Simply walking alongside someone felt foreign. Korra, more or less, had had a shadow beside her during recovery. But it was forlorn, begging to be cut and tossed away. Every step she took was cold ice-forbidding, warding off all touch, incapable of attachment. Her parents had tried to broach that imperturbable bubble, reaching in to comfort and hold. But even then, their touch was distant. Warm, well-meaning, but lacking nearness and proximity. Korra had sensed a lack of.

But hand-in-hand with Asami felt natural, a place where her hand ought rightly to gravitate towards. Step-by-step, she walked, and Korra didn't feel the discomforting pull to push anyone away. It was right that Asami ought to be there, beside her, and it was right that Korra ought to be there, beside Asami.

It felt nice. Much too nice, Korra thought, as twilit rays streamed from Xia Bau's autumn light and warmed her skin where Asami kissed her.

"Oh no."

Asami nodded eagerly, gripping her pen to the notepad. "All of it, please."

"Asami!"

"I'm sorry!" Asami laughed, throwing her hands up, then immediately returning them. "I can't help it if I'm a little nervous about this. You know I love your parents." (And you).

"And they are going to love you-again!" Korra sighed, crossing her arms in signature pout pose. The only thing missing were the puppy dog eyes, but point made. "'Sami, it's not like you've changed bodies and transformed into a spirit or something. Just, y'know, girlfriends instead of...girl friends." Something inside her shriveled. That had sounded bad instead of good.

Asami bit her lip. "They'll know what that means, right?"

Korra snorted. "How archaic do you think the Southern Water Tribe is?" An eyebrow lifted, expectant for a response.

The response was 'sorry' wrapped in a gorgeous smile.

"And honestly, Asami, one look at your name and you've already impressed them. You're Asami _Sato_. Brilliant genius, beautiful woman, unbelievable CEO. How could anyone not be amazed?"

A sigh blew out of the brilliant, beautiful, unbelievable CEO. Asami set the notepad on her desk, lips pursed. "I know they like me," she said, the words an honest truth. "But I don't know if they'll like _us_."

Korra stood from the couch, taking both hands in hers. "You know they will." She pressed a kiss to her forehead (not without a little tip-toe), and met her eyes. "How could they not?"

A smile melted onto Asami and she closed her eyes to relish the sensation. When she opened them again, Korra smiled, satisfied.

"But still, it doesn't hurt to know some of their favorite foods, right?"

Korra opened her mouth to disagree, but Asami kissed it closed.

It was the next day and they were waiting for food (Korra-happily; Tonraq and Senna-pleased for urban Water Tribe fusion; and Asami-unnaturally tense). Of course she would be, in a restaurant renowned for authentic Water Tribe cuisine, packed with patrons, dishes rattling on trays back-and-forth, with Korra's parents _sitting right in front of her_.

It had taken some convincing for the owners to do this, but once Asami had set up shipping operations and due financial compensation, they were happy to comply. She chanced a glance at Korra's parents, who were eye-deep in the polished menu.

Oh Spirits, her heart wasn't really pounding this hard, was it? Maybe it was just the traffic outside. She started, when she realized Tonraq had smiled at her attention, and let out a brief smile before looking down, to the menu.

Okay, maybe it really was her heart. Her eyes singed into the black font, jellyfsh stew and seal soup really not meriting that much attention.

Unexpectedly, but not unwelcome, Korra snuck a reassuring squeeze onto her hand. _Calm down, 'Sami._

Asami took a deep breath. _Okay_.

The drive to Narook's had been relatively peaceful. Korra had warned Asami to drive extra slow (which meant at the speed limit) and to take the everyday Satomobile instead of her racer. They had arrived at the pier in the racer.

But with the (thankful) absence of any sharp turns, too-loud revving engines (Korra had had her eyes glued to Asami's feet at the gas pedal), and swerving speeds ('don't you dare go over 50, Sato'), they had arrived at the eatery in a, more or less, civil manner. Korra did have complete confidence in Asami's driving capabilities. She just didn't think her tendency to speed would be all that helpful to a first (second?) impression.

Tonraq and Senna had been eager to see their daughter again, after 6 months of a lie of convalescence. Though Republic City wasn't in the best shape right now (Asami's engineer tendency of fixing things and her love of home-equally hurting), they had both decided it was the right place for this type of conversation. Hearty Water Tribe volume and gracious manners as always, Korra's parents greeted Asami with gusto. She met them with the same energy, though with a different type of excitement.

A grin that she had anticipated for days materialized. "Oh, Tonraq! They have sea prune stew," Senna exclaimed, pointing to a particularly purple picture.

"So they do," Tonraq's eyes brightened, bending down to locate the dish in his wife's menu, then flipping through his own for the fitting page.

"And arctic hen!"

Both pairs of grey eyes widened, and Asami's grin, in return.

"We've only ever heard of giant sea crab in the South! How-" Senna practically stuttered, certainly a reaction to the gustatory delicacy, available in a place she least expected it. "But there's no price." She looked up, meeting Korra's eyes first (who shrugged), then switched to Asami's (barely suppressed) guileless ones. Senna hesitated asking.

There was something precious, Korra decided, with the innocent excitement that surged in Asami's smile. "We'll take all three," Asami said and motioned for a waiter to take their orders (whose eyes widened as Korra rattled off her _series_ of dishes).

Minutes flicked by. Korra was in the midst of explaining her time with Toph in the Swamp, switching between the appropriate story-telling tones (crooked grins for Toph's champion beatdowns of her; modest smiles when it came to extracting the poison).

"But yeah, Mom and Dad, Toph was...super cool. Beat me to a pulp about 5 times, taunted me about 3 times more-no, Mom, that's a good thing!" She blurted at Senna's horrified face. Her mom relaxed and Korra smiled, more to herself than to her family (Asami, of course, included in that). "I was a little surprised at how much she helped me. Never striked me as the 'wisdom, inner balance' person.' "

"She lives in a tree," Asami said.

"It's a cave."

"Spiritual, though."

Korra conceded. " _Very_. I don't know how she finds the taste of mud, though."

A waiter walked by their table at that exact moment, hesitated, then kept on.

Asami nudged her by the elbow. "Good idea talking about mud in a fine dining establishment. You scared off the finesse folk," and giggled at the look Korra deadpanned.

They were both, however, blissfully unaware of her parents' gleaming ones.

The aroma hit them before the waiter came. Their eyes beamed as their server, clad in a vest, balanced a succession of steaming plates on a tray. Green mountains of seaweed noodles heaped; five-flavor soup swirled in hearty broth; arctic hen sizzled to the hiss of blackened skin; sea prunes bobbed in purpled, lumpy greetings; and the crowning achievement-a massive plate of steaming king crab, wreathed in colors like the royalty it was. It landed in the middle of the table, in the center of a bed of greens, drawing the eyes of every patron and a fully-fleshed, wide-mouthed grin from Asami as she sighted Tonraq and Senna's own faces.

"What are you waiting for? Dig in!" Korra muffled unshamefully (already) through a mouthful of noodles.

Tonraq and Senna certainly did, and it wasn't long before the condensed air of their table filled with the din of clacking chopsticks and appreciative 'Mmm's!' ". They talked, in between mouthfuls of meat and seafood; Korra continuing with her time with Toph in the swamp and how great it was to be back in Republic City; a run-over of their runaway vacation to the Spirit World (leaving out some...parts that Asami decided was for the better); and (quite) impressively not tormenting Raiko's public figure as much as she usually did when discussing the reconstruction. Tonraq and Senna listened in rapture, beaming at their daughter who had found herself again. Then Korra nudged Asami in a not-so-subtle way and Asami found herself lighting up about reconstruction plans and Future Industries expansion and their new technology.

When she mentioned a new invention of Satoships, their eyes glistened.

"Does that mean we'll be seeing a lot more of you in the South now?" came Tonraq's chuckle, as he settled back against his chair, hands resting against a very satisfied stomach.

Asami chuckled in turn, and it came out drier than she meant. "Actually, there's something I-we've-wanted to tell you." Heart thumping like an engine, her hand clasped Korra's.

For one horrific, drawn-out second, Korra's parents blinked blank. Before Asami could open her mouth to what would be a flood of words, a grin crept across Senna.

"Told you." She nudged her husband, eyes sparkling.

Tonraq shrugged. "Could've easily gone the other way. How could I have known?"

Senna was straight-faced. _They had been_ exactly _the same way._

Korra blinked, shifting from her mother to father, then back. "So, you're not…" She didn't know what to say they weren't, but it wasn't supposed to be good.

The look was incredulous. "Honey, of course not! We knew all along!"

Both women blinked.

"The letters. Plus, we've fallen in love before. We know what it looks like."

An undue heat crept across her cheeks and Korra wanted to bat it away, but hearing someone else say the word shattered years of doubt and worry, and suddenly, indefinitely, her future seemed clearer.

She wondered if Asami felt the same.

Asami, in turn, released days' worth of worry into a humongous exhale. "Wow. That-I can't tell you how good that feels. Because-"

She looked into Korra, unknowingly answering her question.

"Because I'm in love with your daughter."

Before Korra could recover (because Spirits knows if she could even move right now), her mother had stood up, wrapping her arms around Asami, Tonraq a second to follow.

"And we're in love with you, my dear."

Asami gaped at the dragon in front of her.

"Whoa!"

Korra's was split in her own excitement, both at their upcoming adventure and at Asami's (regardless that I-fly-planes-for-a-living) mirth.

She wiped off a mental sweat forming in the cracks of her mind. Dragon rides were never a guaranteed service in the Spirit World, come and go as frequently as the creatures do. Asami would be led on to think Korra had called it here, spiritual master and bridge of two worlds as she were, but truth was, they had walked into the Spirit Realm, hand-in-hand, heart-in-tow, stepped into something they had dreamed of for years, then stumbled onto the majestic creature.

 _Thanks Raava_ , she intoned. Any coincidence that landed her in clear water deserved a thanks to whatever was probable, realistic or not. Korra shrugged off the indifference. The same effect would have been made with gratitude for the sky, or the earth, or the sheer, absolutely amazing joy of riding a _fucking_ dragon with Asami.

"How'd you call it here?" Asami's hand hovered near the dragon's fur, and to Korra's nod, began to stroke it gently.

"He's kind of my pet." Her 'pet' gave her a pointed glare (although horned ears and furry eyebrows would make any look seem decidedly pointed, and decidedly more authoritative). So, with the slowness of one who expects heeded attention, the dragon lowered its head. Asami still continued to gawk.

"Well, that doesn't mean 'don't go on.' " Korra leaned beside her, arms crossed. "Hop on, will you?"

"Can I?"

"Yes!"

A flash of green-sparkle and Asami approached the beast in awed air, as if she was touching something precious and sacred, and Korra had to admit, she had felt similar feelings before. The beast purred welcome and with a clutch of warm fur, Asami swung herself on. She marveled at the sensation of melting and Korra's heart did the same.

"Cozy, huh?"

"More than Naga!"

Korra laughed. She hopped on and tugged Asami's arms around her, with a mutter of 'don't want you to fall off' that betrayed a very well-meaning, not-meant-to-be-seen blush.

Asami eased herself against the Avatar, chin on her shoulder, the seating a haven for her own, pink-cheeked grin. "You've ridden him before, right?"

"'Course!" Korra waved an arm that implied the opposite, but that was just her excitement in effusion. "Yip yi- I mean, let's go!"

With a smile pressed against her mouth and herself pressed against Korra, Asami watched the ground dizzy away until it was but a green patch amongst an emerald earth. The Spirit World sprawled out before her. There were valleys that rolled like seas, mountains that soared to waves. Peaks that peeked behind puffed clouds, cliffs that plunged waterfalls. A mirage of color shimmered at Asami and she smiled back with glittering green.

Asami loved flying Future Industries tech (it _was_ hers, after all) and the airship was arguably the toughest to handle. With a mass of 100 tons, a rotor that spun rounds around the Fire Nation's, and an engine that could go on for days, her airship was well equipped for any journey. Navigating, however, was a different matter than designing. Weather patterns could be the bane of practical, calculated aviation; a strong gust or lightning strike and your creation could be torn to shreds. As such, it was with half-buried tension that Asami had flown her airship over Earth territories, and, as a result, couldn't quite enjoy the scenery.

This, however, was a different scenario. Asami watched her hands ghost through silver clouds without fear of falling, and the ground whip by like a mirage of white. Her face broke out in a grin. Riding on a dragon was quite different than an airship!

Korra, immersed in fur and warmth and...something she had only ever glimpsed before (though considering, at the present, how near and dear it was, she really wondered how it had only ever been a glimpse), grinned in turn.

"Enjoying the ride?" she shouted over the wind.

Asami nodded enthusiastically. "This is amazing!" she yelled right into Korra's ear, but the wind stole her words away into a laugh. Korra returned the wind-whipped glee with a happy smirk.

The dragon, unsatisfied with their height, shot higher.

In a second that existed between Asami's breath and Korra's own, drawn-out heartbeat, they burst from the cloudline.

"Oh, Spirits…" Asami's arms slacked in amazement and Korra had to tug them back before she slipped. She glanced back and immediately found her own grip loosening.

Golden rays shined as if there was something beautiful enough to deserve them, and Korra decided that Asami did, because her face was framed by sunlight and wonder (half, nature bestowed; the other half, innate). Wind whisked through, tossing her hair in a tangle that was meant to be unruly, but ended up making her more beautiful. Her mouth was alight in a laugh that Korra didn't mind not hearing, because she could feel all of it, and the sound sank into her like melting sun.

The best part of it all was that Asami didn't even notice.

She found it ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Love was never easy. It was brutal and crushing, heat-rising. Heart-breaking. Complicated. It wove you through emotions that roiled and twisted, until it boiled and Korra ended up regretting words she never meant to say.

Here, now, she regretted things that weren't said sooner.

Because with Asami, it was simple. So painfully, heart-achingly clear, to the point where she questioned how she had become so blind as to miss this.

The woman she loved shifted in her arms, murmuring sweet nothings. Korra's heart flailed and her thoughts trailed.

She had never had this. People always thought the life of the Avatar was an extended adventure, some saga that had her running around and saving the world. Of course, she did do that, but really, they were big moments in the timeline of her life. They happened once or twice a year (any more and Korra would be pressed to revoke her title as the Avatar). Those moments were spikes, crescendos in the flow of life. Peaks that condensed so much memory and emotion and movement.

But really, life was often quieter. The heartbeat of her life, the stable, ever-pulsing part, was occupied by Asami.

Memories surfaced to her mind, rising like soft air. Gentle hello's that nipped at Korra's ear and good morning's that fluttered her eyes open to the beauty of an emerald-eyed aurora. Soft hair that tickled like feathers on her shoulder when Asami rested her chin on it; warmth that flared when Korra's heart was wrapped around the thought of her. Clasped hands worn like they were carved for each other (and to Korra's argument, she was convinced they were) because everything else was as close to perfection as could be.

The soft kisses that lingered when Korra pulled away, because Asami still remained, smiling, on her lips. Eye-rolls that shot up to heaven, but really, in between the smirk and the eyebrows, the sparkle made it endearing. The shine in her eyes, green as valleys, bright as gold; Korra's hold-your-breath haven.

Reassuring little glances snuck at a frown on Korra's face, and one look told her that everything would be okay. Little notes post-patched around the apartment, written remnants of a brilliant mind, reminding Korra of leftovers in the fridge, a late-night, emergency meeting, or simple, gratuitous 'I love you's,' sprawled all over floor and door like pieces of her heart. And finally, the weight of Asami in her arms, dozing like an angel, pressing down on her heart as if she held it captive (which...she did).

Korra watched soft sunlight filter in through their bedroom curtains. Dust particles floated, of mite and minutia. The early sounds of a city awakened streamed through.

Love was easy, Korra decided, because Asami was her life and she would always be.

The idea had come on a particularly uninspirational night (though with the Spirit Portal out her balcony window, and Korra by her side, even that was rare). Her girlfriend-she still caught her breath-was blanket-burrowed deep into her side, long gone after an evening of jazz radio and warm bell-pepper stir fry. Asami peeled herself away, as gently as she dared. She tiptoed to her desk and stayed there until the sky's violet brightened to red.

It had taken some convincing on her Board to get them round. They were halfway into reconstruction, and though the outer districts were still in need of repair, they could spare the finances. Her treasurer, though wary, had affirmed so. Some months later, on this fine sunny day, she found herself on a podium, standing in front of a cadre of journalists. The flash of blue marked her out in the crowd. Korra waved a hand, and Asami smiled back.

Korra had been eager for this day to come (more so than Asami, much to the engineer's delight and endearment), and she found herself bouncing to the car before Asami had grabbed her keys. It was Korra who had rushed her through traffic, bouncing in her seat like a kid to an amusement park. The rational, I-don't-need-to-rebuild-more roads side of Asami's mind was positively entertained the ever-growing part that wanted to envelope Korra in hugs and kisses unjustly riled up, if such affections were dangerous to dole out right now. Korra had all but dragged her out of the car as soon as they touched ground, and led her by the hand to the area.

 _Let her energy keep me standing_ , Asami reflected, as Korra squeezed the tiredness out of her with a hug and a good luck kiss.

Normally, Korra would avoid journalists like the plague, but she tried not to let them bother her. Not right now. She wouldn't miss this for the world.

Though if more than a couple journalists started making their way towards her, she'd certainly have a change of heart.

Her Asami stood poised and ready, clad in her beloved (arguably signature) red and black attire: blazer, pencil skirt, and boots. Relaxation and ease, best in comfortable clothing. Beauty, as well, Korra reflected.

She waited, patiently, until Asami began speaking. Her heart swelled; Korra breathed. After 3 months. Still.

She listened, in crinkle-eyed wonder, to Asami, as she explained to the crowd why she was here, and why they had all decided to come. Thereafter trailed recollections of this city's scarred past; the many obstacles of this new-age monolith, that already passed, and will come to pass; of the surge of hope she felt whenever she looked at the portal; and of the harmony the weaving of bender and non-bender, spirit and human, poor and rich, that this city of old and new breathed.

Then she paused. Korra stared, willing her on to the part that she had spent many an hour contemplating, on late nights no less. Asami was all but a professional speaker for one who didn't favor publicity for publicity's sake, but Korra knew she was nervous.

She grinned wide as Asami dived in, the audience releasing its breath.

"But there has been one sacrifice that has been overlooked, maybe even ignored." Asami swept her eyes over, briefly flicking over Korra's. "My father, Hiroshi Sato."

Before the mutters could commence, Asami continued: "As you all probably know, my father was involved in the Equalist movement three, almost four years ago. He was imprisoned. Years went by without seeing him. Then three months ago, Kuvira threatened this city, and we worked together to defeat her. My father died in the battle. I miss him very much."

She inhaled. _Step by step, Asami. Step by step._ Little did she know (or maybe she did) Korra was thinking the same thing.

"In those three years, I was angry. Hurt. Betrayed. I let that hatred calcify and burn, and consume everything my father and I ever had." She took a deep breath, again. Pens poised at the ready. "I was wrong. I should've forgiven him when I had the chance. In all my anger, I was blind to how my father must have felt. Maybe I couldn't do anything about his sentence. Maybe I couldn't have helped. But I could've tried."

Asami signaled to the work crew at the foot of her 3-month project, and immediately, they began to untie the ropes. In a flurry of threaded fibers, the heavy tarp fell, and every eye in the audience turned (Korra already ahead of everyone else).

100 feet in the air stood Hiroshi Sato, carved in stone, in front of the company he had both created and destroyed. But today was about renewal, not destruction. His figure was poised to the east, where the sun rose. His gaze was stony, unblinking, but Asami envisioned there was kindness. At the base of the bedrock was engraved his name. Asami hadn't thought it needed more, and Korra had agreed.

As unwonted as silence was for journalists, this time, deep respect stayed their cameras. Their pens lowered, and for a second of a breath of the busy, bustling, ever-buzzing Republic City, the press simply watched.

Asami smiled. "Let this monument be a lesson, that forgiveness is the fruit of humility. It forces us to look past our mistakes and weaknesses, and accept another's. Forgiveness heals. It leads to love. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but it is the right thing."

She exited the podium, and now the cameras came out and journalists were surging forward, hoping to catch comment of the great Asami Sato, and how much this meant for her, even though she had just told them, and, inevitably, if it was such a good idea to build a monument of the man who had destroyed…

Sound faded as she left the stage, and rushed back as she approached Korra. Asami was engulfed in a hug that said 'I'm so proud of you' in one, wonderful, warm squeeze. She returned the sentiment, smile curved against her girlfriend's shoulder.

Korra pulled back, looking into Asami. "I love you," she said, and kissed her deeply.

Asami melted into the sensation, seeing flashes that had nothing to do with the cameras.

Korra didn't own many things. but she did own Asami's heart. She didn't know how she had taken captive of it (as the engineer was wont to say on breathless, bare-hearted, blanket-wrapped nights). To Korra's own belief, Asami's heart belonged to the City, to roads and bridges and towers that carved furrows into her heart as deep as riverbeds. She had invested life, limb, and blood into saving this City, and Korra was aghast to take her heart away from that.  
But it wasn't like Asami minded (her heart was big enough to share, after all). She owned millions (of dollars, of acres of land, of brilliant ideas). It wouldn't be lies out of a crook's mouth to say she owned half the City.  
To Asami, Korra's heart belonged to the world (to more than one, she was willing to say- to the physical, spiritual, and to hers). She was the Avatar and that gave her power over areas that others would kill to have. Bridge between two worlds, spirit of Raava, protector of 4 nations; it wouldn't be an undue claim to say that Korra owned the world, but it would never be something she _would_ say.

But they had their hearts, and those belonged to each other in gentle, beating tandem. Korra's rightful place was beside Asami, and Asami the same. Although they owned much of the world, the most precious thing they had was each other.


	3. Starry Gaze

A/N: No song here. Just a lovely moment between our two resident Avatar-verse lovers. :)

Chapter 3: Starry Gaze

She loved looking at Asami. Well, who wouldn't, but.

Korra had eyes only for her.

The fondness in those greens and the corner-crinkle that said she was amused. Upturned corner, edge of her mouth, that usually meant she was laughing on the inside, at something adorable, or stupid, (or both) that Korra had said. A tickle in the back of her throat, gentle puff of a huff. How her eyes melted, imperceptibly at first, then heart-thuddingly wonderful, whenever she met Korra's; the softening of heart and love and warmth that Korra, undeniably, inarguably, found her home in. Sparkle whenever Asami grinned, beautiful lips alight in wonder that made Korra want to kiss them.

Korra had never seen such beauty, and she didn't think she would ever understand it. Frankly, she didn't want to.

She often found herself staring at Asami, on city drives that wound them both deep into the heart of Republic City, and, equally, Korra deeper into Asami. Beneath soft-lit restaurant lights that glimmered, miraging Asami's eyes into thousands of diamonds, and Korra found herself lost in emerald across the glass of sparkling champagne. In occasional, sneaky, easily-noticed-by-the-engineer glances that Korra sent her way, and her heart skipped a beat every time she dared to look at her. In goodnight kisses and coming-home hugs pressed against the curve of Korra's shoulder, eyes that crinkled as the engineer wrapped herself around her girlfriend. In a thousand tiny moments that flitted by like tick-tock, painted across a world engulfed in green and joy, to a flurry of time that was both a second and a forever, and Korra found herself in love with the gaze of the woman she loved.

Asami often found herself looking at Korra too. The Avatar was just too busy doing the same to notice.

"Right here, Asami!"

Korra jogged over to the grassy spot, a ways from her statue (because that was still far too awkward for her to comprehend, much less appreciate). Asami had different feelings, of course, but they were all similar to love and amusement, so she sat down quietly beside her girlfriend. A smile emerged. Asami watched warmly, as Korra fluttered the blanket open and set it on the ground.

"You know, Future Industries should go into astronomy," Korra said, smoothing out the red cloth.

Asami shrugged and climbed on. "Maybe. Dad always took me to the roof to look at stars, but that was just a moment." An enterprise? Mm.

Korra hummed, immediately attaching herself to Asami. She leaned in close and made Asami smile. "You could make it into lots of moments for other people. You have, for me," Korra tapped her nose and it twitched in a snort.

It crinkled, again, as Korra kissed her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Seriously. Why not?"

` Well. Asami lay her head on Korra's shoulder. "Making cars will always be a practical business. People need them for transportation. They'll never stop needing them, you know?"

"Same with bridges and roads."

The engineer pursed her lips. "Yes. Right. Because Spirits knows how many times I've rebuilt this city."

Korra barked a laugh that was wry and relatable.

"But," Asami continued, faintly aware of Korra's fingers trailing down her arm, "astronomy's not practical." Korra looked at her.

Her shoulders went up in a shrug. "I wouldn't know what to do with it! Building space probes would be remarkably interesting, testing the atmosphere and gravity beyond our world's hemisphere…"

She felt Korra blink. "Sorry. But spend millions of yuans on a machine you send up into the sky, then...what? It burns up. It collides with a meteor?" She frowned. "Maybe I just don't want to see my stuff blown up in such a...violent manner."

Of course, creating airships and Satomobiles were no different. There were certainties and unknowns in the realm of engineering- every capable engineer knew that. Asami had decades' worth of blueprints and sketches to work from for her Satomobiles, and creating each new model was only the point of tweaking an earlier design. But building something based on the mechanics of a world she wasn't privy to? On rules and physics that were wildly variable?

Now THAT was a challenge,

But she was Asami Sato.

She could do anything.

Korra closed her eyes, her head now in the nook of Asami's neck, where many moments were spent. "Isn't that the point of science? Make stuff, blow other stuff up?"

Hmm. Asami made a happy sound, and kissed her hair. "Yes. So maybe I should."

"I think you should. You can take me up there one day," Korra murmured, already half-asleep. That did tend to happen when she was next to Asami, during time of night.

They stayed like this for some time, wrapped in a warmth that was their own. A breath that was shared and theirs. It was peaceful.

"Because you can," muttered Korra.

"...what?"

"Because, you can do...anything…" The Avatar's head slumped across Asami's torso, her brown hair spilling.

Asami smiled. Did Korra really go to sleep thinking sweet things like that? (Well she was, quite comfortably, folded into the woman she loved, so. No surprise.)

"Hey. Korra." Korra grumbled, returning her head to the curve of Asami's neck. She nuzzled against her ear. "You're gonna miss the stars."

"Mughuhhuh."

"No, the stars are not in my eyes, dork." Asami pulled her girlfriend gently away, took hold of her arm, and pointed it upwards. "They're up there."

A million stars blazed like silver suns. Pinpricks of light twinkling in-and-out of cosmic existence, visible only to the observable eye. Light stars that glimmered like moments-in-flashes, flickering like the images of a mover; one second, a flare of white; the next, revealing a curtain of night, then back again, infinitely. Their story was not for humans to know, but a secret of the universe, embedded in all and around. These stars disappeared, as soon as the eye was turned. Still, others shone bright, only revealing themselves if somebody was watching from below.

Such was the way of beauty. It only truly appeared when someone was admiring it.

Asami certainly thought the sight was beautiful.

"See? How could you not want to study this?"

Asami blinked. In some unconscious way, Korra had glided them both to lay down, her head once again in its home in Asami's shoulder. An arm flopped across, resting on her chest (and heart). "Okay."

"Okay."

Asami tucked her nose to Korra's cheek. "Okay. I'll look into it. Stop complaining." She breathed a kiss and Korra shuddered.

"Asami…"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"Mm." Asami nestled closer. "Love you too- Korra, look!"

A whale-shark spirit, with a body like a shimmering curtain, rippled past, taking up the two women's view of the sky. For a moment, the stars faded, then glowed back, opaque through the spirit's skin. It rumbled by, and as Asami's eyes widened, another followed, this time in the shape of a turtle. Its flippers waved in greeting. Asami waved back.

Korra nuzzled into her neck. "What, is it seafood appreciation day?"

"Nope. Just worldly wonder, darling," Asami whispered, as an octo-jelly fluttered past, its tentacles afloat.

Asami kissed her again, soft, gentle, precious air. "Just worldly wonder."

Korra, gazing at Asami, had to agree.


	4. Paper Planes

A/N: This chapter was inspired by East of Avenue's "Paper Planes." It's a very heart-tugging song, I suggest you give it a listen whilst reading this!

Chapter 4: Paper Planes

Home wasn't a constant for the Avatar (it was hardly even a concept). One among millions, the sole being of their existence. No one nation to belongto, bender of all four elements (and perhaps, more, if one counted energy and metalbending as different bending disciplines). A life of struggle and sacrifice for the world; a destiny sealed, as old as the universe, to the universe. Finding their way to peace and balance, and even that was hard. A life of thousands more, to millions more; a connection to all on the planet, out of some imperturbable, binding cord to the world that, if cut, would shatter everything.

Hard as it was, being the Avatar was never a solo job. But it could be difficult to find where you belonged.

Korra knew how that felt.

Taken out of her home to train in the White Lotus Compound, supposed to be part of the world, but apart from it. Thrust into Republic City, the single great metropolis of big and new, and almost burned from it. Air Temple Island...was wonderful. And it was nearly home. But it wasn't hers. It belonged to her predecessor's family; and certainly, in an ethereal, spirit-y way, it felt like she belonged there.

But not quite.

For months, she had stayed in the South, hoping that a childhood comfort would lend her a healing hand.

It didn't. It only reminded her of what she'd lost.

So Korra had left, opting for the world to find a truth that had to exist, somewhere, anywhere.

Korra crested the top of the wave, splashing down in a spray of sea fume. The water tickled her skin, like pin-prickling drops of freeze, but she barely felt it. She was too focused on…

Well.

She didn't know what, exactly- she'd come here to find just what, after all.

Her eyes bore into the waves, the ever-ebbing waters of the Southern Ocean. Home, to the tug in her heart and the thrum in her bones. But cold, now.

Bone-white icebergs bore down, silent. Empty. But staring. The sky was a grey-mottled mass of clouds, and they threatened thunder if Korra continued on this path. The wind blew bitter against her skin; she had opted to go sleeveless instead of furs, and the numbness across her body was starting to hurt.

Korra's eyes grazed the ocean, searching. The water pushed, and pulled, in her mind, tugging languidly.

Korra looked deep.

But all she could see was emptiness.-

Korra panted, forcing herself to bring her right leg onto the top of the mountain. Her breath came out ragged, but pulsing with the vitality of physical exertion. She sat, and stared out at the scene before her.

She was on Roku's Island, gazing out at devastation. Devastation implied something destroyed, wrecked. It was a barren wasteland, crag-black and sharp, as if to ward off all human touch, and say: 'This was nature's realm.'. And although the remnants of Roku's home lay heavy in her heart, she couldn't help her heart surging at all the flowers beneath her. The volcanic ash made it near impossible for most floral varieties to grow here, but one particular species was miraculous of surviving.

The white lily swayed in the ashen breeze below, and to Korra's sight, there were more than a few hundred popping up from the ground. Tiny, but strong; green stems swayed in the breeze, and white petals fluttered alongside.

Ash still fell periodically on the blooms, but Korra found that inspiring. Tainted, perhaps, by an inescapable circumstance, but...

Thriving all the same.

She hugged her legs to her chest.

If only she knew what that felt.

Perhaps the Earth Kingdom was what she needed. Trace back where she last was.

Maybe pick up something she'd lost.

Korra's hands tightened on the straps of her backpack, slung lightly over her shoulder. She hadn't packed much-a few shirts, food and water, a blanket. She hadn't known where she was going to go, but at least knew it had to feel light-weight.

Her feet slipped on the sand hill, and she threw her hands out to steady herself. Sand grains ran past her fingers, and there was no grip to be found- but, with a huff, Korra straightened herself and dragged on to the top.

Miles and miles of Si Wong Desert stretched before her, rolling waves of sand. A tan land, seeming soft and supple; ancient, Korra was sure, and hiding many secrets underneath its particles. But forever was a long distance, and in all honesty, she didn't know where she was headed. The hot sun beat down on her back, shimmering like cosmic mist in the air.

At that moment, something appeared in the horizon, and Korra's grip slackened. "Raava?"

It was. The white spirit, who had been eluding her for two years, was hovering on top of that nearby sand dune.

Korra laughed, remarkable, relieved, and tore down the hill.

Finally! The thing that she was searching for, that had been missing all this time. She could finally get better, finally-

Korra crested the top of the dune.

But Raava was nowhere to be found.

She looked around. Surely the spirit had…

Korra fell, thudding, to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Would she ever get better?

Korra had failed to find herself.

But that was okay.

She was looking in the wrong places anyways.

Because home, she learned painfully, for far too long, was not outside. Home was within. It was the settling of the soul, the calm beating of the heart. A second in which the world stopped spinning, and time was hers, and suddenly, Korra wasn't the Avatar.

For Korra, home was Asami. Dear, beautiful, Asami.

Home, sometimes, proved to be an unexpected place. A beautiful, precious gem in hiding, shining when you needed it most. A soft light, gently beating, with a bulb that never seemed to burn out, giving warmth without even asking.

So, nestled under bedsheets warm as her heart, in the arms of the woman she loved, head-in-her-shoulder, kiss-on-her-lips, smile-on-her-face; Korra found her home. A gentle, beautiful, wonderful home, that filled her up so much that she thought she was dreaming at times, because surely, life couldn't be this good?

But it was.

It really was.

And it was more beautiful than anything Korra could have imagined.

* * *

Cars had a destination. Always did. You never exactly got into one without having the least idea of where you were going. Shift a gear, switch a button, turn on the engine-controls, there were controls, and Asami knew where to go. Even on late night drives, where amber city-lights blurred by. Around. Out. To the park, and back. To get out of her head.

The things she built had the sole purpose of having a destination. Planes, cars, bridges, roads; all went somewhere.

Asami felt the opposite...much to her confusion. Because if she was fortunate enough to have all this success and wealth, shouldn't she be happy? Have at least a clue what she wanted?

But she didn't.

She felt lost.

Because most days, Asami worked. She poured herself into construction reports and factory orders, eyes scanning clipboards of things that were supposed to matter. She designed dozens of new buildings and outlined 80 percent of the city's current roads. She was there for every grand opening, smiling and proud of all the work she'd done, cutting ribbons for rebuilt city stations and shaking hands with pleased citizens.

But Asami wasn't there. Not without the one person who would have made it matter, who mattered the most.

It was lonely.

Asami had millions of yuans, and ran one of the most successful companies in the world.

But she didn't know what to make herself if Korra wasn't with her.

She missed the Water Tribe girl. Missed her laugh, and smile; the only two, inevitable things that could pull Asami's day back from the brink of ash. MIssed that smirk on her lips, because she was skeptical, or mischievous, or frustratingly knowing, and it was all Asami could do not to kiss them. Bright, blue eyes-full of that robustness and strength of heart that drove her every action, and Asami's heart, toward her.

But most of all, it was the presence and warmth of her that Asami missed.

In a city of thousands, where countless people flitted by her day and night, in and out of her office, on the streets, on the roads, Satomobiles buzzing like mad-Asami's mind was on one person.

And she wasn't even here.

* * *

"So, Asami."

They were at Narook's, in a corner booth that they'd requested, because being the Avatar and the CEO of Future Industries was enough of a public affair. But the Avatar and the CEO of Future Industries together was just tantalizing. For the press and for the (press-termed) 'power couple.'

"Hmm?" Asami looked up from her plate of noodles, (her favorite- miso steamed), swallowing her bite. "What's up?"

"I...have something to tell you." Korra looked down, quite uncomfortably, into the center of her three setsof plates.

Guilt. Why was there guilt? Asami frowned.

"Is everything alright?" she said, taking Korra's hand from across the table. Her frown deepened. Of course Korra wouldn't…

"You're...not breaking up with me, are-"

The Avatar's eyes widened. "What? Why would you ever think-" Korra huffed, incredulous now, instead of nervous. "Spirits, I'm not that crazy!"

"Whoo," Asami chuckled, blowing out a nervous laugh. "Just checking. You scare me sometimes, Korra."

Korra just rolled her eyes and leaned across for a kiss.

"I love you, you know that."

Asami smiled, and returned the kiss. "I love you too. But?"

Korra sighed, deeply, then met her eyes. "I have to leave for an Avatar trip."

"Oh." There...could be worse things, but...still. "Where to?"

"Southern Air Temple. Tenzin wants me to check on the state of the airbenders there, make sure they're getting on okay. You know, wrangle any young ones, educate them about the importance of the work they do, and that the Air Nation isn't a bunch of old people doing yoga." She chuckled. "No danger, of course, but…"

"Hey." Asami locked eyes with Korra, gently. "Being the Avatar is your duty." She smiled wide. "I'm not gonna keep you from doing your job. Much as you distract me from mine."

The Avatar grinned. "You're a very nice person to be around."

Asami narrowed her eyes. "I wish I wasn't so attracted to you sometimes, you know that?"

"Nope." Korra leaned in for another kiss, and made it longer this time. "You love it, and so do I."

Asami stuck out her tongue and Korra resisted the urge to continue her kisses, lest the restaurant's eaters get too attentive. "Dork. So anyways, how long are you gone?"

Asami almost hesitated asking, but that was ridiculous. Korra was never gone for too long, and Asami was running a _company_ , she had tons of stuff to do-

"Five days."

Her breath caught. It was a few moments' silence that she registered Korra's words. The younger woman could hear the whine in her throat as Asami tried, and failed, to respond.

"And, there's no radio."

Asami's eye twitched.

"When do you leave?"

"In a week."

Her breath came out ragged.

Asami was upset.

Korra had seen this coming.

"Hey." She cupped Asami's cheek. "I've been gone for longer, in far more dangerous places. You remember Fenyu and those riots?"

"Don't you try to turn this into a smaller deal," Asami sulked, but nestled, into Korra's hand.

"I'm not," Korra smiled, gently. "I'm just trying to make it better."

Asami's frown deepened, more. Her head now truly lay in the palm of Korra's hand, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the softness of Korra's fingers. "What could be good about you leaving?"

She brought Asami in for a kiss. "You could finally get some work done."

Asami whimpered.

* * *

Asami had always been lonely, hadn't she? She'd thought against it because that was absurd, but really- a lot of things were.

Like the fact that being with someone-close, _there_ \- made Asami realize just how lonely she had been.

Her mom had passed away when she was young. Herself, precocious, top of her class for her high marks and unyielding genius. Big, empty mansion, a childhood spent roaming its halls, looking for someone...then dashing back to her father's garage before tears came.

Betrayed by the very same man. Sucked of a company by a business partner. Forced to build it all back, youngest CEO in the modern world. Her father, back-then gone.

It was enough to make her want to crumble.

Asami had had friends. But they'd gone away (or…had she sent them away?) with the long hours spent at her father's company.

Korra stirred, moving underneath Asami's fingers, which were tangled in her hair.

The almighty Avatar had fallen asleep. Next to Asami. On Asami's lap.

She sighed, happily. Her head still spun, of the unbelievability of it.

Asami had, arguably, been fine in the few years before she'd met Mako and the rest of them. It had been an exciting time, with her father's company releasing a new model of Satomobiles. Future Industries was already a monolith in Republic City, and it was now rising to international standards. She'd been manager of the production lines for some time, and her father had just assigned her the lead on a new engine for the next model.

Asami hummed, twisting a strand of Korra's hair, and smiled, as the Avatar twisted along with it. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really had time to be lonely, huh?

Then she'd met Korra, and suddenly, life was not so much about work anymore. Asami had a friend, someone she could talk to, finally. And life turned out to have so much more light and warmth than she could've ever given it credit for.

Then that warmth had been snatched away, as quickly as it had come, for three, dark years.

And it had been a long three years.

But Asami had waited, and those years were over now,

And she was not alone. Not anymore.

She never wished to be, again, she thought, as she pressed a kiss to Korra's temple and held her closer.

* * *

They were lying in Avatar Korra Park, Korra doing the lying, and Asami petting her hair. It was a nice day out and Asami had managed to snag a few minutes out of her work schedule for lunch. Korra was around, helping with the reconstruction efforts. Both busy tasks, both requiring sufficient cuddling time to recharge.

Asami's fingers threaded through Korra's hair, spilled out into the crook of Asami's lap. The strokes were gentle, soft, and Korra's smile mirrored the same sensation.

Asami smiled. "I love seeing you like this."

Korra opened an eye, to tease and to relish, equally. "What? Totally and inevitably under your control?"

Asami shushed her with a finger to the lips, and Korra found it hard not to kiss it. "Yes. And no." A strand of hair twirled, magically, around her finger. "Just being you. Korra. Not the Avatar."

She cocked an eyebrow. Was...that a problem?

Asami chuckled, thumb tracing the edge of her mouth. Ever so gently… "Relaxed. Calm. At peace. In my lap." All those things, in that order. She bent down for a kiss that Korra had to accept with a smile.

"Your doing," she whispered, vengeance all but a ruse so Asami could kiss her for the pout.

"Hmmph."

That seemed to satisfy her, so she continued petting her, smiling at Korra's smile. Spirits, she missed that.

"I'm gonna miss you…"

Asami leaned down. "What was that?"

Korra knew she had heard every word, because Asami was always listening. She narrowed her eyes. "I said I'm gonna miss you. Are you pleas-" Her breath caught very suddenly, and her words vanished as Asami stroked her cheek in a very gentle, very enchanting way. "-ed, ahhahhh…"

The engineer laughed. "Very." This had become a sort of new pasttime (if that was appropriate to call it) of hers (often, during the night, or in the morning). It was, more often than not, Korra who made her repose on Asami's lap, and Asami who had the privilege of making Korra at ease. She'd spend many a moment simply looking at her, quietly marveling, full of gentle touches that ached to do more, but for now, was enough.

Korra closed her eyes, rotating her cheek along to the touch. Asami's heart pounded at her smile, curved wide and irreparably, inexorably, always going to be there. It was just a natural phenomenon that had to occur when she was with Asami.

"I never thought I'd get the chance to say that," Korra whispered, just as Asami leaned down for another kiss. She stopped. "What?"

Korra sat up, all of a sudden. She nestled her head next to Asami's, and her hand found hers. Korra's eyes held a light. "Back in the South...I felt grateful to even be able to live another day. Every day was a battle, each harder than the last. I didn't know if I would get better, and some days, I didn't know if I could even keep…" Korra looked up, at that point, at Asami-open, earnest, and...willing ( _always_ willing)- and she couldn't bear to continue that thought. "So imagine how great it felt to come back and know I was...safe. Okay. Not broken."

"Imagine how wonderful it felt for me, too." Asami smiled, and brushed her lips to the top of Korra's head, remembering. The pure joy. The happy tears. The relief. Everything that had happened after, and why Asami's heart swelled so fucking much whenever she saw, or thought of Korra, that she swore it couldn't fit into her chest any longer. Everything that had led to them being together, here. Now, in this park.

What a trivial, insignificant thing, to simply be sitting together.

But it was everything to them.

"Yeah. But none of that compares to what I just said." Korra leaned back, enough to look Asami in the eyes. She squeezed their fingers together, and brought her lips to one. "I would never have dreamed of this. Not in my greatest, wildest dreams. Being able to be with you, like _together, with_ you." Her voice rose at the last word, because it was breaking. Korra shook her head. "Never."

She looked deep, deep into Asami's eyes, saw herself reflected back, among brimming tears. "You, letting me back into your life is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even having the chance to miss you means that I'm...close enough. That I matter, to you." Korra smiled, full of love as much as awe. "You're everything, you know that, Asami?"

A teardrop rolled onto their clasped hands. Warm, Korra pressed her lips to Asami's forehead. "Thank you," she breathed.

"Korra…"

"Hey." Korra's eyes sparkled. "You're the smartest person in the world. How could you not have known that?"

Asami sniffed, brought her hands up to wipe her eyes, then decided against it. She shook her head instead. "Because my mind is too busy thinking about how I survived three years without you."

"Yeah," Korra chuckled. "Neither do I." She laid back down, resuming her rightful place in Asami's lap. Not all their cuddles came with cries, but, maybe, the best ones did.

Korra smiled, heart light as snow. "You're the best, Asami. Now do that thing you were doing earlier where I was in love with you and murmuring weird things."

Asami did, with tears rolling down her cheeks, wondering how her chest could hold a heart that burst as much as hers did.

* * *

The next few days, Asami came home late. Her Board and a flurry of shareholders had really been grinding her. Korra accepted that, and being her adorable self, had opted to bring Asami lunch, and make her dinner every night. Maybe because she was leaving soon, or maybe because Asami was working so hard, but Korra found herself surrounded with flowers, popping them all over the house and in Asami's office. Asami found a yellow tulip on her desk one morning, a note attached to it.

 _Dear Asami_ ,

 _I love you. You probably get sick of hearing me say it._

 _But it's your fault, not mine._

 _I love you._

 _Korra_

Asami smirked, and placed the note on her pencil holder.

Another time it was a rose, attached to her lunch bag that had been 'mysteriously blown into her office' through the open window. Strung around its stem was one of Asami's favorite sweets from the shop. Asami groaned, though, at the inevitable (did it really have to be there?) pun on the notecard.

 _I hope you find the rice manju as sweet as you are._

 _Korra_

 _P.S. I love you._

Asami enjoyed the sweet, nonetheless. And the pun, too.

Or it was cute little notes, posted around their apartment. Asami was working through her pre-work makeup routine when she sighted the pink message at the corner of her bathroom mirror.

 _Dear Asami,_

 _You're beautiful. With and without makeup._

 _Although I've never seen you in the latter._

 _Seriously. How do you do that?_

 _But it's okay. I don't mind._

 _I love you. Hope work goes well today!_

 _Korra_

Asami didn't know what to do with herself after that, or when she came home that day, and collapsed into Korra with hugs and kisses.

It was lucky Korra was too busy being adorable to notice whatever Asami was doing. Why she was coming home late for the past few nights, or making more telephone calls than normal.

She'd find out soon, though.

* * *

Korra rang on the doorbell, shifting to balance the pile of takeout food in her arms. "Asami, I'm here!"

When no one answered, she made to press it again, but her arm bumped hard enough against the door to creak it open. She crept inside. "Asami…?" Korra clicked the door shut, depositing their dinner on the dining table. "Where are…"

"In here!"

Korra frowned, and made her way to the bedroom, then stopped. The room was a mess of Asami's belongings, mostly clothes, strewn all over the bed. Shoes sprawled on the bedside table, and more than a few files were scattered on the floor. Korra's eyes floated to the bathroom, where several pieces of Asami's makeup dotted the sink. "What...what are you doing?"

Her girlfriend finished zipping up a large pocket, the zip clicking satisfactorily. "Packing."

Korra blinked. Asami continued folding clothes. "For…"

She looked up at her. "The Southern Air Temple."

Korra blinked, again. She stared at Asami's suitcase, at her hands quickly fastening the straps. Then she sighed. Oh Asami.

Korra knelt down, gently taking her hand. She tried to catch her eye, but that was hard to do when Asami was focused (on anything, really). "Asami, why are you going to the Southern Air Temple?"

Her girlfriend grinned. "Future Industries business. I contacted Tenzin a few days earlier and asked him if we could supply the airbenders with anything. Of course," She inclined her head, picking up a pair of trousers. "He was a bit against the whole 'retrofitting an ancient temple with new stuff', but I convinced him to see the better side of a few lights and engines. Electricity, and such. Plus, radio station." Asami beamed, leaning forward to peck Korra on the nose. "Sounds great, huh?"

"So you're...coming with me?"

Asami set down the pair of pants she was folding. "Well, don't sound so disappointed," she said, more with the raised eyebrow than her lips.

Korra blew out a laugh. "I'm not! At all! Don't get me wrong, this makes me so happy, but…" She grasped Asami's hand, midway in an inner pocket.

"Don't let me get in the way of...you know." She nodded toward the files on the floor. Korra had seen Asami's workload, even before she'd announced this trip. It was remarkable that a company, let alone a single person, had that much to do. Korra felt incredibly relieved, but even so…

When Asami refused to look at her, Korra guided them, gently, out of the bedroom to the couch. She sat them down, hands clutching hers.

"Asami. Look at me."

Green eyes rose.

Korra squeezed their hands, and the pressure sent a pulse through Asami. "I've seen how late you've been coming home-evenbeforeItoldyouaboutthistrip," she added hurriedly, as Asami re-closed her lips and frowned. "You have all those meetings with your Board, and Raiko still wants to talk to you about the plans for New Downtown. Are you sure you can spare five days?"

Asami's mouth yearned to say _yes!_ , but her eyes betrayed the truth.

Korra sighed, and stroked her thumb along the back of Asami's hand.

"I could've gotten my assistant to do it for me. Or one of the trade porters," Asami said, looking down; not entirely guilty, but not entirely guilt-free.

Korra tilted her head, smiling softly. "You know you don't have to drop everything for me."

But you _are_ everything. Asami half-smiled, half-frowned. "I'm really not, though." (Though whenever Korra was in mind, nothing ever seemed too much.) "This is still business. Not everything is about you, you know," she smirked, her heart rapidly pumping a refusal to such a lie.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "I feel like the task of setting up a few engines and lights doesn't need a CEO to manage. Especially if it's such a routine thing to do." She laughed, and kissed Asami where she frowned. "Seriously. It's your company."

Asami actually recoiled. What was Korra actually suggesting? That she wasn't the most important thing in Asami's world? That if she so much as looked at her, Asami wouldn't drop everything she had and come running? She had been prepared to do that for the last three years. And _that_ was desperate.

Did she really not...

Korra shifted, uncomfortable as best she could be when next to Asami (which, really, was nothing). "I'm just...me. You're running a company and-"

Asami grabbed her wrists, all of a sudden. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Talk about like you're nothing. Like you don't matter."

"I'm not-"

She stopped talking, because Asami had squeezed her hands _tight_. "Do you know what you are, to me?"

Korra bit her lip, looking down. Maybe afraid to hear the truth, maybe not _honestly_ knowing, which Asami found completely absurd.

Asami found her gaze again (like always). "You are the reason this city is as good as it is. The reason why I work so hard. Those three years you were in the South, yes, I spent them working. I built roads. I designed buildings. I worked with the spirit vines. I did nothing else. All because of you. I rebuilt this city so you could have a home when you came back." Korra's eyes were blurring, but Asami wasn't done.

"I needed to build a city you could be proud of." Asami wrapped her arms tight around Korra, and felt her head bury into her shoulder. "I needed you to come back to me."

Asami felt tears seep into her shirt, felt Korra's eyes pressed tight against.

"I may have the hands and brain for this city, but you're the fuel that keeps me going."

She felt her chest recoil, as Korra sniffed, loudly. It was a long moment before Asami pulled away, gently, hands still on Korra's shoulders. Her eyes locked onto hers. "So don't ever, _ever_ try to put yourself below anything else. Because you are the most important thing in my life, and you are worth every little effort I give, and damn it if I can't have five days to-"

She stopped, because Korra was kissing her.

"You are the most...perfect…" Korra sobbed against her forehead, hands clutching her hair.

Asami smiled."And I'm in love with you. So, deal with it."

Korra did.

With many kisses.

* * *

Korra was going to love this. Sure, it was something Asami hadn't thought _directly_ about, but, as it happened, it was in the background of what she'd dreamed of for years, and now seemed like the perfect time. She felt for her keyring, dangling in the ignition, and turned a right.

"Whoa!" Korra slumped back to the left, after gravity had settled. "Why so fast?"

Asami smiled, and as Korra looked at her, she felt both thrilled and intrigued. "I have something to show you."

Korra narrowed her eyes, but...she trusted Asami. If she wanted to be mysterious, then who was Korra to stop her? "So," as she was saying, before the turn cut her off, "this little kid totally had a crush on me! He was the cutest thing ever, don't get me wrong, but every time we'd train together, he'd go tomato-red, and his feet would cross over, and he'd look at me with the _cutest_ brown eyes."

Asami snorted. "Do I have competition?"

Korra went rigid. "What? Spirits, no." She slapped Asami lightly on the elbow, and Asami bit back what would have been a disarmingly loud chuckle. "The first time I met him, he tried to run away."

Asami giggled, and had to slam on the brakes because of it. "The Avatar, terrorizer of children."

"No." Korra pouted. "More like, Defender of Babies."

Asami burst out laughing, and, after a second, Korra did as well. A car horn beeped, because the light was green, and they weren't moving, and if this behavior kept up whenever the two women were in a car together, they'd be seeing Lin a lot more.

Fortunately, Asami's destination seemed to be nearby, and as they pulled into the parking lot, Korra frowned.

"This isn't your place," she said, as she wriggled out of the car.

"No, it isn't," Asami said, rather stoically. She took Korra's hand, before the Avatar could say anything, and led her to the building. Before they entered, Asami turned around, eyes on Korra. "You have to promise you'll keep your eyes shut."

Korra's eyebrow lifted, asking an unspoken question.

"Trust me."

Korra smirked, but obliged, and with the press of Asami's hand, was led into the building.

Okay, she definitely hadn't been here before, she guessed, as the fresh, but unfamiliar, scent of clean air hit her. Her steps echoed for several seconds as they walked, and the feeling in her chest only intensified.

"Asami, where are we," she whined, as the elevator _dinged_ open and Asami tugged her inside. The doors closed, and a soft rumbling sounded.

Warmth spread through Korra, and she blushed; Asami had just kissed her. "You'll see," she whispered, softly. Mischief, and excitement, Korra noticed, in her voice. The engineering sneak-when did she not have something up her sleeve?

But that was the price Korra paid for dating a genius, and she'd pay it ten-thousand times over if it meant having Asami around.

The doors opened, and with another peck on the cheek, Asami led them both down what definitely felt like a corridor. Carpet, quite a big hallway. Now she stopped, and Korra stopped as well, and Asami fumbled for something in her pocket.

"I'm not sure why you need to make such a fuss for showing me your new office building," Korra said, but her heart was racing. The lock opened with a pleasant _click!_ and Korra was swept inside. Asami flicked something on, twice, and white flashed before the Avatar's eyes. "Okay, open your eyes now."

Korra did, and looking around, she frowned. She was in a very white, very empty space, with the rear wall an entire window to a view of the city and portal. This didn't seem very big for an office. "It's, umm, very white," she stated, obviously.

Asami nodded from her side, and out of the corner of her eye, Korra glimpsed a small smile. "I think white's a very nice color to live in."

Live… "Asami, what?"

Asami's grin came out full-face, and she slid into the middle of the room. "Surprise!" She swept her hand around the walls theatrically, but ( spirits) adorably full of glee, and Korra started to wonder how long Asami had anticipated this moment for. "This is our new home."

Korra stood there, staring, as her head turned to catch all the walls, the corners, and the doorways of this new place. Her face was unreadable. It was long enough that Asami faltered. "I-" she let her hand down, and something of concern flashed across her face. "I've been staying late in the office, to do this. The Air Nation business was a scrunch, it only took a day to get organized. Sorry I lied," she said, in a tint of guilt, but still Korra continued to stare.

"Well," Asami motioned behind her, to the window. "I got this high up of a floor for us to see the Portal. It's hard to see it sometimes when you're in the city, especially at my Estate, and I know how much you like it. And this," she gestured to the left wall, through a doorway. "Kitchen. I know we don't cook a lot, but I'd like to try. And this here is our living room. Nice, cozy, little space for us." Asami hesitated, but spun around. "Bathroom, bedroom, my office," she counted off, as each finger moved between a different room. "I'm planning on having the furniture from my Estate moved in, and this place is even closer to the Tower than the mansion ever was. So, commuting's a click."

She turned around, and still Korra was staring. Her silence made the ground suddenly seem like a better place to look.

"Look, I'm...sorry if this wasn't your ideal place to live in. Maybe you prefer Air Temple Island, but I just thought-"

Asami's thought disappeared in a kiss. A long one, long enough for her insides to melt and her head to spin, and just as she returned it, Korra drew away.

"Now, why would I prefer anywhere that doesn't have you in it?"

Asami laughed, all the nervousness dissipating. "Well, you were being really silent."

Korra chuckled, and the warmth in her gaze sent flames up Asami. "I was just trying to comprehend the idea of how I could ever be living romantically with Asami Sato."

She smirked. "Can I take that as a yes?"

Korra snorted. "You'd be dumb not to." She smiled, and pulled Asami into her arms. "You're the best, 'Sami." Her eyes crinkled into her shoulder. "Just, the best." She sighed. "I don't know how I got so lucky."

Asami smiled, nestled into Korra's shoulder. "Well, I plan on having you stay."

Her murmur came, in pure content.

Korra and Asami and decided to stay there, nestled into each other, relishing this first moment in their new home.


	5. Nightingale

**A/N: This fanfiction will no longer be updated on . It will only continue on Ao3. Thanks for reading! :')**

 **Here's the link to my page:** **/users/TheWillowTree/works**

The stars shined bright above them. A million tiny flickers, of Spirits' worth, trailed and blazed across an endless ocean. A flutter of an ancestral hand, spanned across generations of space and sky, of sea and blue. As if a hand rotated the Earth, on some invisible axis, and poked the star plains ' _dot dot dot'_ and ' _flit flit flit'_ ; spread without any real care or direction, except godly afterthought, and- well, nature's own, ineffable plan.

Korra thought they were beautiful.

But they were nothing compared to the woman at her side.

Asami's dress was simple; nothing too fancy. It had been one of her more 'pick-and-choose' outfits, rather than a 'bring it out for the big one' gowns. Medium-length, modest curve at the neckline; went spectacularly well with the blue-stone necklace she was wearing.

But simplicity should not be mistaken as a measure of beauty. Asami wore her clothing like it was _made_ for her. Every line and seam fit to her like a second skin, tugging at her curves, complementing her profile. Fashion, to Korra, was still something she was figuring out. For Asami, it was inborn.

She may as well have been a statue, for all the picturesque perfection that she was.

They walked, hand-in-hand. The leaves swayed to the breeze. The wind whistled a tune.

Asami snuck in close, by her ear.

A whisper. "I love you."

Korra blinked.

Was that her, or had the wind said it?

It wasn't as if Asami hadn't said 'I love you' to her before (and Korra had responded in kind, of course); it was just that, this time, she said it so _soft_. As if it was as easy to say as it was to take a breath. Her 'I love you' may as well have been part of the breeze, if Korra wasn't paying attention.

She breathed. "I love you too."

Asami smiled against her ear, and Korra's heart let out a sigh that she didn't see coming.

But then again, everything really was moved by Asami, wasn't it? To the point where nature itself, was taken by her sweet- nature-, and encouraged to say 'I love you' back, to the world?

Either way, it didn't matter who had said it. She was filled with love everytime Asami was with her, her world may as well be feeling it too.

Two steps further, and they came across a path of stones. Without even looking to her side, because she knew, Korra jumped, grinning.

And was surprised to find that Asami made it farther than her.

She laughed, hopping onto a stone with the balance that her bare-sleeved tunic gave her. Asami, for her befuddling part, was, very, 'fashionably' balanced; her dress never touched the water as she leapt from rock to rock, bangles clinking. The woman was in heels, for Spirit's sake.

"How are you doing th-whoa!"

Korra teetered on the edge of a rock, swaying, until Asami grabbed her hand and pulled her back. She looked up, grinning. "Thanks," she said, blowing out a breath.

Asami smirked. "Don't mention it, Airbender."

The comment flickered fire within, and Korra found her soul light as they stepped off the rocky path, lest she almost fall into the water again.

Which perfectly explained why Asami led her to the lake.

Korra grinned as she jumped up onto the ledge, and after settling herself, pulled Asami up as well. They sat together, on the cobblestone, legs gently kicking against.

"That rock took me by surprise."

She sensed Asami's smile. Korra smiled herself.

Lake Odai shimmered out before them. Even as far away as the Spirit Portal was from this park, it could still be seen at the water's edge, glimmering faintly. The waves- more ripples than surges- pushed and pulled. The moon was feeling content tonight; tranquil, just to let things be.

Korra was fine with that.

She let her hand trail closer to Asami's, and in a breath, they held. Always, did they hold. Never, did they let go.

They rested their heads together. Asami's presence, to Korra, was like a soft glow. Soft, in that the world seemed to drown out around her, and sound became a rhythm that beat softly in Korra's ears. Indistinguishable, because all her attention was focused on Asami. A glow, in that the world absolutely brightened around her. As if she inspired the buildings to stand taller, the cars run smoother, the roads be straighter; the sun, shine brighter. Like the world wanted to be better, for her.

Spirits, what a woman.

And that wasn't even saying what she did to Korra.

Korra hummed. It was a little melody she had known in the South, one her mother used to sing to her at bedtime. It was calm, and soothing. Her voice swam over the tune like waves. Choppy, but fluid.

"What was that Tower built for, anyway?" she asked, breathing in Asami's scent.

Asami mmm'ed, and tilted her head. She danced a couple fingers across Korra's hand- making Korra shiver- before answering. "Think it was for a commemoration. When the City had reached its 10th anniversary, and the Fire Nation had it gifted to us."

"Future Industries didn't build it?" Korra asked, looking at her.

Asami shook her head, and her jasmine scent flung itself into Korra's face even more. "We weren't here that long ago,"

But it seems like you are now. "Hey, Asami. Your family comes from the Fire Nation, right?"

Asami nodded to say so.

"Hmm." Korra leaned down onto her free hand, tapping her chin. "Pretty industrialist nation, if I can say myself. Probably the most, out of all the nations. Were your ancestors industrialists too?"

Asami chuckled, shaking her head. "My family came from the first Fire Nation colonies. As far as I know, we were simple villagers. Tradespeople, farmers. If we were industrialists, I think we'd have stayed in the Fire Nation," she stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh. Well-" Korra shrugged. "Worth a shot. I mean, you're pretty much industrialist royalty right now."

That elicited another look from her. "And does my status permit me to speak in the presence of such a Water Tribe princess?"

Korra leaned in, planting a kiss on her lips. "No. Just kissing."

Asami smirked. Using her status as power, huh…

Korra just smiled, and rested her head against Asami's shoulder. Asami didn't complain.

Somewhere or the other, birds chirped. It was a pretty little tune, as soft as the wind against her skin.

"You know what birds are my favorite?"

"Mm?"

"Nightingales."

"Whassat?"

Asami met her eyes. _Really?_

Korra shrugged. "The only birds I saw in the South were otter-penguins. And those were only half-bird. Oh!" Her head shot up. "We should go penguin-sledding!"

Asami chuckled, and guided Korra back down onto her shoulder. "Next time we visit your parents. But, nightingales- they're not very pretty, to be fair. Mostly just brown-colored."

"That sounds dull."

She inclined her head. "But their singing has the most wonderful sound." She nodded back towards the trees. "That's them in there."

"Really?" Korra raised an eyebrow, began to look back- then remembered how comfortable she was. She resettled. "They sound nice."

"They do. They used to come out to the garden outside my Estate, all the time." Asami closed her eyes, and Korra could tell, in the way her eyes crinkled and the lightest way her lids pressed together, that she was savoring a soft memory. "I'd lay in my bed for hours, just listening to them. Sometimes, it could be the only thing that put me to sleep."

Korra nodded. "Well, the otter-penguins didn't do that for me. Mostly, they were just-" she clapped her hands together, startling Asami onto her side, "- _ARF ARF ARF ARF ARF_!"

Asami was laughing and giggling within a second, a hand over her mouth, and sides heaving.

"And Naga would be like- _hnff hnff hnff_!" Korra nosed her way into Asami, snuffling at her side.

"Korra-!" Asami breathed, arms clasped over her sides. She tried batting her away, but Korra just ducked and wrapped her arms around her.

It was a while before they stopped laughing, and by the time they were, they were simply content to just lay there.


End file.
